Jun. 14th, 2017

missmaryr: (Default)
I swear, I seem to be a stinging insect magnet sometimes.

For several years, I kept finding yellow jacket nests in my back yard, usually by mowing over them. I may or may not get a sting, but I usually found the nest early, and got rid of it.

Then came the dry year, when parts of the yard cover died off, so I didn't mow it until it rained and the green stuff grew again, so I had to mow it. I ran over a nest, getting one sting. I dealt with it, saw no more wasps come out, and thought the nest dealt with.

I had dealt with the back door.

The next day I ran over the front door.

Wasps erupted from the nest, many getting into my clothes. Running (quite literally)on instinct, I rushed into my bathroom, shucked my clothes, and bolted out. I think two of them came out with me, but they immediately sought the window and I killed them after yanking on a nightgown. My brave sons went in the bathroom with flea spray and killed all the wasps. All of them congregated at the window, they said, making it easy.

I had twenty-two stings. At each sting, I had a circle of red, itching skin. When I went to the doctor- wearing loose, soft clothes- he gave me a steroid shot and heavy antihistamines, but the stings stayed swollen for two long weeks anyway. That was when I finally contacted a professional, who was amazed at the size of the nest. He sprayed something and two days later it was gone.

I still pay the company to deal with the yard. They assured me that the stuff they used won't harm bumblebees, which I respect. I have found only one nest since then, when it rained the day after they treated the yard.

So today I'm walking in my yard, wearing sandals, when I get stung again- between my toes. I look down, ready to curse out the pest company, when a bumblebee bumbles off. I had accidentally kicked it.

Anybody got a magic anti-stinging insect warding charm?

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missmaryr

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